GREENLAW, CORNELIUS set to return for Arkansas.
FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas linebacker Dre Greenlaw and receiver Jared Cornelius both said Tuesday that they expected to be in the lineup Saturday against LSU after recovering from ankle injuries.
Greenlaw, who has two ailing ankles, played only briefly in the early stages of the Razorbacks’ 45-31 loss to Vanderbilt two weeks ago, while Cornelius sat out the entire game.
Both Greenlaw and Cornelius were among the Razorbacks in green limitedcontact jerseys at Tuesday’s practice. Asked if he’s good for Saturday, Greenlaw said, “Yeah I am, most definitely.”
He also said his ankle is still sore.
“Luckily the bye week came just in time,” he said. “I was able to heal up a little bit. It’s on the right track of healing up. I’ve just got to keep pushing it and keep playing.”
Cornelius’ ankle injury adds to the long list of issues — broken arm, Achilles tendon, back — that have knocked him out of playing time in his career.
“I feel great,” Cornelius said. “I’ve kind of had an ankle bothering me for this past week and I just knew it would be a thing that would take some time. The bye week really helped me. I got moving around today, a little bit Sunday and I feel good.”
Cornelius has five catches for 53 yards, none since the Texas A&M game on Sept. 29, in what has been a trying season personally and from a team perspective.
“It’s been tough, especially in the receiver room,” Cornelius said. “I think, you know, what we thought for the offense would be a little different. But it’s part of being a part of the team. You’ve got to do your part, whether it’s catching 50 balls or making 50 blocks downfield. We’ve just got to help the team out as much as you can.”
Who’s biscuit?
Arkansas safety Santos Ramirez, always one for making colorful metaphors,
described the feeling of playing LSU is like fighting over food.
“If a biscuit is in the middle of that table, man, and it’s [you] and your momma against LSU or whoever it is, and they’re trying to take your biscuit, your momma is going to be hungry,” Ramirez said. “What are you going to do?
“That’s what it’s going to come down to. You can scheme all you want, you can do all this, but coming down there and making those plays and winning those battles, we talked about this all weekend. … We had an off week and we’ve had ample time to get ready for LSU. We’re going to use it to our advantage.”
Injury update
Arkansas Razorbacks in green, limited contact jerseys on Tuesday in addition to Dre Greenlaw and Jared Cornelius were receiver De’Vion Warren, defensive back Kevin Richardson and defensive tackle Briston Guidry. All have been dinged up at some points this season.
Starting right guard Johnny Gibson did not wear a green jersey but he watched as Austin Capps took first-team reps at the spot. Gibson has missed practice time the past several weeks to rest a knee injury.
“Yeah, it’ll be good,” Gibson said. “I did everything today except good on good.”
Tailback Devwah Whaley, who is three weeks removed from ankle surgery, was in a yellow no-contact jersey and was not practicing.
The recent full-scale scrimmaging by Arkansas’ younger players came at a cost, with several from the group showing signs of injuries Tuesday. Quarterback Daulton Hyatt was in yellow with his right foot in a boot and defensive lineman Courtre Alexander had his left arm in a sling.
LSU personnel
LSU safety John Battle is questionable after suffering an ankle injury on the first play of last week’s 29-0 loss to Alabama. Battle and defensive lineman Brenden Fehoko were both missing during the open portion of Tuesday’s practice, according to The Advocate of Baton Rouge. Fehoko played against Alabama with a heavy wrap on his left arm.
The rest of LSU’s injuries or disciplinary actions have been long-running, with tight ends Thaddeus Moss and Jamal Pettigrew (knee) out since camp, outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson (knee) out since the opener against Miami, and linebacker Tyler Taylor and guard Ed Ingram both out on indefinite suspensions following their arrests in the offseason.
Bragging rights
Arkansas linebacker De’Jon “Scoota” Harris, a good friend of LSU linebacker Devin White, attended the Alabama at LSU game last weekend with a pass extended by his cousin, LSU linebacker Michael Divinity.
Harris posted a picture of himself on social media wearing a “Free Devin White” T-shirt while at the game in support of White, who had to sit out the first half against Alabama for drawing a targeting call against Mississippi State on Oct. 20.
“He’s a close friend,” Harris said. “We grew up and came close through college ball and with my cousin over there too.”
Harris is from Harvey, La., and attended John Ehret High School. White is from Springhill in northern Louisiana and was a teammate of Arkansas running back Kendrick Jackson.
Harris said he talked to White on Tuesday.
“There’s no bragging yet,” he said. ‘We’ll probably get to it in a group message later in the week. But we talk the majority of the time.”
Let there be night
Arkansas finally will play a night game in Fayetteville against LSU.
The past five games at Reynolds Razorback Stadium started at either 11 a.m. or 3 p.m.
“We just want to go out there and have some excitement,” safety Santos Ramirez said. “Fly around in the atmosphere of Saturday night SEC college football.”
Temperatures are forecast to be in the 40s at kickoff and dipping into the 30s as the night goes on.
“Regardless of the temperature, I know the fans are going to show up and show out,” linebacker Dre Greenlaw said. “We’re going to have their full support. We just want to go out there and make them proud, make the state proud.
“Regardless of the weather and the temperature, it doesn’t really make any difference. I mean, yeah, it’s going to be cold and we’re going to be feeling it, but at the same time, it’s the last home game.”
Pool on Jeopardy!
Freshman linebacker Bumper Pool got a mention on Tuesday’s episode of the popular game show Jeopardy!
Under the category of 2018 College Football Names, the $600 clue was “Bumper Pool bounces running backs around as a linebacker for the Razorbacks of this school.”
The first contestant to buzz in correctly answered “What is the University of Arkansas?”
Pool re-Tweeted a post about the mention on his Twitter account, writing “Let’s gooo” with a “woopig” hashtag and a laugh-till-youcry emoji.
Pork chop man
Arkansas defensive coordinator John Chavis didn’t get to bed until about 3:30 a.m. Saturday after returning home from a recruiting trip, but he still woke up at 5:45 a.m. despite it being an off day for the coaching staff.
“I was home by myself so I walked around the house,” Chavis said. “I looked at things. I made myself a pork chop sandwich that my wife [Diane] had cooked and put in the freezer. All I had to do was put it in the microwave. I had a pork chop sandwich at about 6:15 or 6:30.
“Then I laid back down for a couple of hours and said I wasn’t going to look at any football. I did, kind of missed it a little bit, but I watched a whole lot of football. I didn’t leave the house though. Stayed there.”
Burlsworth Trophy
Semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy — named in honor of former Arkansas All-America guard Brandon Burlsworth and recognizing the top player who began his career as a walk-on — were announced Tuesday.
The 16 semifinalists are Cal RB Patrick Laird; Clemson WR Hunter Renfrow; Michigan State DE Kenny Willekes; Minnesota LB Blake Cashman; North Carolina LB Cole Holcomb; Oklahoma WR Lee Morris; Oklahoma State QB Taylor Cornelius; Utah State C Quin Ficklin; Wisconsin LB Ryan Connelly; and Wyoming FS Marcus Epps.
The three finalists for the award will be announced Nov. 13. The winner will be announced on Dec. 18 at a luncheon at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Springdale.